Thistle and Lilac
by msallnitechemist
Summary: All Creatures Great and Small first person novel set in bonny Edinburgh, Scotland, chronicling the relationship between a charming veterinary student from the Yorkshire Dales and the intelligent Scottish lass he manages to fall for. Beta'ed by starzangel.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer:_ "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac**

**Part 1**

_1939. Edinburgh, Scotland._

Miles away from home, I had a sense of purpose. If not urgency. And a plan for my life in mind.

Others regarded me as nothing but a lass far too intelligent. In my mind, I had no intention of staying on my family's farm and waiting for a local young farmer's boy to come to call. I had other ideas - namely, leaving the rural lands of my youth and thinking I'd like to become a nurse. It sounded like the right kind of career for an independent woman like me - especially after reading and hearing on the wireless about that German leader Hitler and how there was going to be a need for nurses - Scottish and English alike - if our country was called to war. I could think of no better way to serve my countrymen than to commit myself to a life of healing. And for women in those days, nursing was an obvious choice.

Realizing early on that all that swotting wouldn't support much of a social life, I accepted that I wasn't going to have scores of gentleman callers, and even the friends I had made in school weren't as close to me as they once were. They were more interested in the latest showing at the pictures and dressing up to go out to dances on a Saturday evening, making no indication that they minded in the least that they were destined to stay in the country forever.

Luckily for me, I had relations in Edinburgh, so when I wore down my parents enough, they allowed me to start at a school in the city, though not entirely far away from my parents and brothers and sisters, but far enough away requiring me to stay with my aunt.

I figured my time in Edinburgh would be a neat getaway - away from my family and the only way of life I knew, so I could strike out on my own and get started on a new chapter in life. I couldn't be bothered with anything else.

It was a usual autumn afternoon for me - sitting under my favorite tree, nibbling on a ham sarnie when my eyes were not fixed on the text in my dogeared copy of _Gray's Anatomy_, trying to glean as much knowledge from it as I could. On most afternoons, my concentration stayed fixed on the words in front of me. But not that afternoon. Even my attempts at some genuine swotting weren't enough to completely ignore giggling nearby. I lowered the book and peered. Yep, it was yet another gaggle of schoolgirls laughing at the jokes of some chaps from the veterinary college.

The boys certainly acted older than the girls among them - the way they dressed belied a sense of maturity, if not true accomplishment. Yet. I didn't doubt for a second that they were still a ways off from qualifying. If they had already passed their exams, what would they be doing in Edinburgh? It was a new school year and as was usual, the charming types were chatting up the most desirable girls.

I was not one of those girls. I felt disgusted when I saw the way the girls would hang onto a boy's every word, simply because he was handsome or had a certain air about him (usually related to money or ill-placed confidence). On this particular afternoon, I noticed there was a leader in this group of young people - a tall, blond, leggy one, seemingly too sure of himself with all the charm of a bottle of aged whiskey. Too familiar, yet somewhat enough to hold one's interest. Whiskey was enjoyed by other people, for sure, but not by me.

A couple days later when I was having a pint with some mates from school, I found out who this boy was. His name was Tristan Farnon, and he wasn't a Scot - no, he was from the Yorkshire Dales. Whenever I saw him later around town, surrounded by his friends and a new group of girls who were charmed by him, I examined the situation and made mental notes.

I became curious as to how exactly he managed to have these people eating out of his hand so readily, so easily. From the snatches of conversation I heard, he wasn't speaking of thrilling tales that would put the average listener, let alone a female one, on the edge of one's seat. No, one time I heard him going into detail of the life cycle of the bacterium that caused tuberculosis in cows. Another time? Some parasites that were endemic to his beloved Dales. He could really go off on a tear discussing particularly troublesome viruses that infected farm animals - swine fever, foot and mouth, that sort of thing. The kinds of problems that the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (or "the Min of Ag" as he fondly referred to it, as if it were human and an old friend) would have to be notified of, if found on anyone's land. And yet through all of this, it was these girls who were sat there listening, clinging to his every word, seemingly spellbound by such ramblings.

_Where does this young Farnon chap get his confidence? I need some of that!_ I had convinced myself that he was a curiosity of nature that was worth investigating further. Despite my former disgust with the girls that followed him and his friends around, I found myself enchanted with him. To the point that my thoughts often turned to him when I should have been thinking about more important things, like what to brush up on for my next exam.

I was confused. There wasn't too much in this world so far that had thrown me.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer:_ "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac**

**Part 2**

Deep down, I knew the bigger problem - I wasn't the type of girl who hung around his kind of circle. And for that reason - and for the alarming feeling that rose in me - I consulted one of my classmates, Penny.

Penny was one beautiful girl. Dark brown locks framed the delicate features of her face - the sprinkles of freckles from being out in the sun too long, bright blue eyes, long eyelashes. This is what she looked like as a young woman.

She and I had been best mates when we were younger - we were from the same town - but had grown apart when it became evident that young men were coming to call on her in droves, something that never happened with me. She also had relations in Edinburgh, but her reason for leaving home was different. She wanted a new experience before she settled down in the farming life.

I knew her better when she was a tomboy who liked nothing better than to jump on the back of her favorite horse, Leo, and race me while I rode my filly, Belle. We grew up together chasing each other down the meadows. But that was before she outgrew her riding clothes and started keeping up with the latest fashions.

She was taken aback when I brought up the subject of Tristan Farnon one day after school. She looked at me quizzically.

"Tristan Farnon? _Trissy_ Farnon? We are talking about the same person, eh?"

I nodded. "Yes. I think so, anyway."

"Well well, Tristan Farnon. Ooh, he's a looker. Right charmer too."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Everyone knows that."

"Oh. All right."

Penny searched my face for clues. "Why would you, Mary, be interested in a 'debauched choirboy' like Trissy Farnon?"

"Debauched choirboy? Heavens, that can't be his nickname, is it?" My eyes widened. Inside I felt embarrassed.

It was her turn to nod. "Aye, yes. If you believe the stories he tells about his older brother Siegfried. He's mad. And usually out of his mind in most of Tristan's recollections. If you're sat there long enough to believe them all. Mind you though, Tristan's stories tend to take a wild turn when he's had too many pints of bitter."

She laughed a little. "Still..."

"Hmmm..."

"You still haven't told me why you're asking about Tristan all of a sudden. It's not like he's got his nose in the books all the time like you. You two couldn't be more different."

"That's odd. I've overheard him talking to some people our age, and he's there talking about tuberculosis this, swine fever that...he must be doing some kind of swotting to have such wide knowledge."

She shook her head. "Dunno, maybe it's because I don't pay much attention when he's talking summat like that. It's those other girls. He could be reading the telephone book, and they'd still be hanging all over them, drink in hand." Penny thought for a moment. "Maybe there is something to it, he does have a way with facts and figures and stuff, when it suits him. And surely he must be picking up after his brother, who has a successful vet practice. But...I still don't know why you of all people want to know more about him."

My face grew hot. "Well, you see, Penny, it's like this you see..." I stammered.

"Why, Mary McDonald, I don't believe it!" Penny clapped her hand to her mouth, incredulous.

"Believe what?" I snapped in disgust. "What, what are you talking about?"

"You _fancy_ him, don't you?"

"Well..."

"You do, you do! Oh aye love, I'm so happy for you."

"What?"

"It's 'bout time. 'bout time you started liking boys like the rest of us!"

I couldn't help but laugh. "What? Is that all?"

"I wondered when that exterior would crack. And you've picked a prize, my friend. Young Trissy Farnon. If only he was less loose around women..."

I arched an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"Well, he's got a bit of a roving eye. Still y'know, you might just be the right kind of lass to put him in his place. A right good influence on 'im."

"If he's like you said, I'm not going to interest him. He could have the pick of the girls in the whole town."

Penny shook her head. "Nay, I know enough about him to set this right. We just have to present you right. Heh - fancy that! Mary McDonald fancying Trissy Farnon!" She clucked her tongue. "'tis going to be a right job y'know..."

"...and I've got nowt to give you in return."

Penny waved me off. "Nay, I was thinking of summat else. Y'know, my dad's been after me for my bad marks at school. Seeing as you're such a brain, you think you could give me a hand this semester and help me swot? I could use the help."

"Sounds like a plan!"


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer:_ "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac **

**Part 3**

Over the next couple weeks, Penny and I got on like two peas in a pod. It was nice to have a close girlfriend again. It reminded me all the more so how lonely I had been without an ever-present friend just around the corner to talk to. The world of books was easy to disappear into for a time, but not all the time.

As we agreed, I helped her swot and it appeared to be helping. I was a good teacher and required my new charge to repeat difficult to remember terms and definitions, to draw out organs and their circulation patterns from memory, and even to come up with new ways of recalling especially confusing concepts. "I hate the circulatory system!" Penny would often shout at me, fists pounding on the table.

I would give her a reproachful look, as if to say, "well, you don't want your dad getting on ya for your poor marks again this semester, do you now love?"

Being able to teach someone actually helped me as well to my surprise. Why? Just having to come up with a new way of presenting it to someone like Penny forced me to dwell on things I hadn't previously given a second thought to.

Penny was gaining confidence about her studying and really taking a liking for the material instead of it being just something she had to absorb passively from the professor in the front of the class. I was glad my brain was of use to someone other than myself.

Meanwhile, Penny was having fun playing dress-up with me. This was a completely new experience for me - I was the second of four children and the only girl in my family. But Penny had three elder sisters and had been the subject of such games growing up. I'd go over to her cousin's house where she was staying and look at the trunk of clothes she'd brought from home. The possibilities seemed endless.

So much lace and trim, so much fabric I'd never seen or touched before in my life. I'd taken a liking to a light shade of purple Penny said was called lilac. "Named after that purple flower you know," she mused as I fingered a dress of hers in that color with a cream trim. "You like that one?"

"Yes, very much so."

"Then try it on love! Let's see if it fits you."

Tentatively, I got out of my school clothes as Penny undid the back zipper. Stepping into the dress, I felt as though I was wearing camouflage. The dress wasn't me. I looked in the mirror and saw someone else. _Is that me? Could that be me?_ I felt a bit in shock when I saw my neck uncovered. It certainly was different from anything I was used to wearing!

Penny gasped. "Breathtaking. I'll not hear any argument. It's yours." So that's how the lilac dress came to be in my possession.

She also had a healthy stack of celebrity-type magazines with photos of popular movie and singing stars. It was a whole different world. I suppose that's where she got her ideas for dressing herself up. And now me.

So on days when we'd had enough of the books or the library, she'd sit me in front of the vanity in her bedroom, doing something to change my look. In a way, I was her pupil in this as she was my pupil when it came to schoolwork - just different subjects. And if she had to memorize and practice things, so did I.

It was particularly difficult for me to grasp all the "maintenance" just to do with the head - hair, lips, eyes, cheeks. Growing up on a farm, I didn't have much time to spend looking at myself in the mirror. Chores needed to get done, and besides, even if I did take the time to look beyond presentable, none of my brothers would have noticed, except to possibly mock me.

But Penny stressed the need to look presentable at all times, especially now that I lived far away from the country. "You never who you'll run into when you're in town. Why, what would you do if Tristan passed you in the street?"

"Probably run in the opposite direction." I sighed. "Penny, I'm no good at this. I'm getting all self-conscious-like."

"Nay, Mary, you can hold your own. You just need a bit more confidence. You'll see." She pointed at my image in the mirror and grinned. "Just like you've given me with my schoolwork." She squeezed my shoulders. "I couldn't have gotten the valves of the heart without you, y'know."

I smiled back. "Aw, Penny, it was in you all the time. Sweetheart, you just needed the right teacher!"

"That's wha' I mean. You've been a good teacher to me, and now the greatest repayment I could give you is to get Trissy Farnon's head to turn right in your direction."

I sighed again. "Do you think it can be done?"

"Crazier things _have_ 'appened, you know."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac **

**Part 4**

The semester droned on. My new look - from peasant to princess, seemingly - garnered compliments from the other girls of our class. Penny beamed when she heard these comments because they meant her efforts were working. I had felt better about myself than I ever did. I finally had a healthy confidence of myself as a woman.

At the same time, our professors were happily surprised at Penny's marked improvement in school. So much so that Professor Beamish, a particularly scary character in Penny's previous school history, came to thank me personally for the turn-around.

We were walking out of the great hall after school Friday. In our last class, we'd received our marks for our last exam. My friend couldn't be any more ecstatic - she had scored nearly as high as I had. I didn't as so much as bat an eye at my own - considering how hard I always swotted, I came to expect my marks to be good. But I was happy that I'd be able to make her an able student.

"Shall we celebrate?" I asked. "We could go down to the pub for drinkees."

Penny motioned for me to stop and sit on a bench just outside the building. "Nay, 'twas thinking it was too early to celebrate. I haven't held up my end of the bargain, have I?" She meant she had been so far unable to grab Tristan Farnon's attention long enough for it to be fixed on me.

I waved her off. "Oh Penny, it doesn't matter. What's important is that I found that there's more to life than books, y' know." I grinned. "Besides, 'twas nice to have you back as a best mate."

Penny half smiled. "Aye, but you mustn't forget about the dance tomorrow night." She was referring to the dance being held at the town hall, guaranteed to draw a large crowd of the area's young lads and lasses. "We'll get started on preparations for that early tomorrow afternoon, all right?"

I nodded. "All right. Still, I'm not betting on anything..."

"Let's just be positive and see what happens, eh?"

On Penny's insistence, I wore the lilac dress she had given to me. She had also managed to unearth ribbons of a matching colour from her trunk, using those to arrange my hair in a way to rival that of any Hollywood starlet. Penny, not to be outdone, chose a gorgeous frock in daffodil yellow and let her trademark locks hang romantically behind her back. We were ready for a night of fun!

The feeling at the town hall that Saturday night was one of gaiety. Multicolour streamers and banners hung from the beams high above and the drinks were flowing freely. A local band had set up on stage to play.

As expected, young people of every description had shown up for the social event of the season. For once, I felt like I held my own against the girls my age. Had it been a year earlier, I would have felt intimidated, surrounded by beautiful girls dressed in every color imaginable. Instead, I felt like one of them.

Arm in arm we entered the ball and were at once greeted by some of our classmates. Instead of fretting about the latest school assignment, we talked about each other's dresses and other gossip while partaking in the available drink.

Every once in a while, a chap would come by and ask one of our party to dance. Actually, this happened a couple times to me, to somewhat my surprise. Dances like this weren't my usual venue, but the chaps were nice, and many of them were quite good dancers! At one moment after the end of a song, I told the boy I was dancing with that I needed a break. I sat down next to Penny, who had just returned from the drinks table and handed me a glass of punch.

"You look like you're having fun."

"Aye, this has been quite a night. It has been nice to be noticed for once. I was getting tired of being the most overlooked girl in Edinburgh."

"Is it possible that you've been asked to dance by every boy in the place?" Penny smiled, looking at the throngs of couples leaving the dance floor at the end of a fast number.

I took a sip of my punch and then thought for a moment. "Well, not _every_ one of them. If you get what I mean."

I looked at her pointedly, then studied her facial expression turn from a smile to one of smugness. My friend nodded as if to acknowledge someone behind me.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac **

**Part 5**

"Now, Miss McDonald, may I have the pleasure of a dance?"

It was a male voice that I should have recognized after all this time but somehow didn't. When I turned around to see who it belonged to, it was, to my disbelief, Tristan himself. He reached out to take my hand, kissing it.

I laughed self-consciously to mask my sudden anxiety. "Tristan Farnon. Please, call me Mary. No need for these formalities." The words seemed to tumble off my tongue, but the mechanical parts willing the words to come out of my mouth felt as inanimate as sawdust.

He was dressed in a grey suit and tie for the occasion, looking dapper as usual. "Your wish is my command, Mary. The offer still holds. Would you like to dance?"

Penny elbowed me. If she hadn't, I might not have moved. Instead, I got up from the chair. "Yes, Tristan. I'd love to."

He slowly led me to the dance floor. "Mary McDonald, where have you _been_ all my life?" Tristan's voice had a sing-song air to it.

"In the library no doubt," I answered dryly, trying to come up with something witty to say. "You make friends with the bookworms down there you know. And the bookworms - aye, they aren't a legend. They exist!" I tried to keep my anxiety to a minimum by biting my upper lip.

It was his turn to laugh. "I'm sure. That's how you managed to beat out everyone in your entire class at nursing school in the last round of examinations, is it?"

I started to blush. It wasn't usual for me to get embarrassed by accolades for my good marks in school. "So is _that_ what you've heard?"

"Ah, your reputation precedes you my dear Mary, I'm afraid. It's all good reputation, I'm quick to point out." He swung me around lazily. I thought for sure he was under the influence of too much drink, and I wondered if these attempts to be charming with me were honourable or not. Then I tried to decide in my mind if I cared or not.

In the meantime however, I concentrated on his broad shoulders and his arms, around me and leading my awkward figure in time to the music. Tristan had a mischievous glint in his eye, one possibly caused by too many pints of bitter? As we danced, I gazed at his eyes and blond hair.

"Yes, well, I was able to do it all without a single pint. Tristan, I think you've had a bit much to drink to-night..."

He looked pained. "Me? I've just gotten started. Not to worry, anyroad, I do have enough control of my faculties to realise you've become a stunning creature nearly overnight." Tristan squeezed my hand gently as I did my best to keep up with him.

"Hmmm...?"

"You _are_ one stunning creature, and I'm glad you finally decided to give us poor college chaps a glimpse into the real Mary McDonald."

I scoffed. "Maybe...if only for one night." The band finished its song, with the bandleader announcing their break. "One night?" He led me over to some chairs and were sat for a moment. "No, that can't possibly be."

"What do you mean?"

"I'd love to take you to the pictures next Saturday. If, that is, Mary McDonald, you'd be willing."

"I'd be delighted!" I smiled back at him, feeling giddy and dizzy at the same time. I wanted to see what would happen with all of this.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac **

**Part 6**

Tristan and I saw a lot of each other over the next couple of weeks - such as that date to the pictures. But this included even in what you might call productive circumstances.

There was no set schedule, but we managed to meet a couple times a week. I'd bring an hourglass with me; it was a joke present my parents had given me years before, in an attempt to curb my book reading and get me to do more chores around the farm. At each of these sessions, I'd go over Tristan's lecture notes, then try and come up with my own questions to test him on the material.

I'd found with Penny that sometimes visual learning worked better - that is, having the student draw out diagrams of their own to make remember particularly difficult concepts to grasp was sometimes better than rote memorization and recall.

I couldn't determine Tristan's progress in all of this. Based on some of his responses to my mock questions, it was obvious to me that he was bright. Despite this, I felt like there were times that Tristan was holding back, pretending he knew less than he did.

For example, I knew he had a good understanding of tuberculosis, because I recalled one sunny afternoon long before we met, when he was entertaining a group of boys and girls, telling them of the discovery of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis by Robert Koch in the last century. Then he then launched into a discussion on how the bacterium that caused tuberculosis in cattle, _Mycobacterium bovis_, was completely different from the kind that could infect humans,_Mycobacterium tuberculosis_. He didn't stop there; no, he continued on and talked about the symptoms and treatment for TB in these animals. However, when I asked him to name the species that caused tuberculosis in cows, he claimed he couldn't remember, waving me off.

I wasn't sure why he would pretend to know less than he actually did. The only explanation I could come up with was that he wanted to prolong the length of our sessions together, but that seemed too daft to even think of. I decided my imagination must be running away with itself and didn't think about it any further.

I never complained when we went over the appointed time for our study sessions, because Tristan always had a way of making me smile, either by telling a good joke or anecdote or by somehow surprising me with a compliment. He also had a way of convincing me to go with him for "a well-deserved pint of bitter" after most sessions too.

Something else unusual. There must have been something instinctive within him, as he always seemed to know where I'd be after classes were done for the day. And he'd be waiting for me, flashing that winning Tristan Farnon smile.

It all started one afternoon, innocently enough.

"What are you doing here, Tristan Farnon? Following me around again?"

"I couldn't help myself. It's your fault, y'know."

"How's that?"

"It's that lilac dress you wore to the dance. You know the one, the one Penny gave you."

I pretended to scoff. "Oh? How did you know about that?"

"Penny can be a little talkative herself when she's had too much drink, mind."

"I see. Well, what of it?"

"Well, I daresay Mary, I just can't seem to get you or that dress out of my mind."

"Tristan, stop it." I gave him a playful punch in the arm. "Shouldn't you be off doing something more important? Like swotting for those qualifying exams? Or, more likely in your case, getting a quick pint at the pub before starting on an evening's swotting?"

He whistled softly and absent-mindedly. "I _am_ doing something important. Greeting the most studious, hard-working student in Edinburgh." Tristan coughed, clearing his throat. "And easily the most beautiful lass in all of Scotland too."

"Haha Tristan. You right charmer. You always know what to say, don't you?"

"I try." He smirked, offering to take my books off my hands. "Well how about it, are you busy this evening?"

"Tris, you know very well that I - well, both of us - need to study."

"We-ell..." Tristan tried to lead me down the street towards his favorite pub. "But really, come on now, there are more important things in life than exams."

"What about your brother Siegfried? You told me he'd skin you alive if you didn't pass your qualifying exams this time. Besides, which ones are you going to take at the end of the semester?"

"Mmmmm...pathology and parasitology, I expect."

"Good lord. Tristan, those are two very difficult subjects."

"Yes, so I gathered. And...?"

"So that's why you need to stop faffing about and get down to the books. Instead of trying to romance me, silly." I tried to take my books back from him, but he'd run ahead and refused to give them up.

"Only if you'll have a drink with me." Gallantly, he opened the door. Semireluctantly, I went inside and he followed, ordering us drinks, then we were sat together.

After I took a sip of my drink, I gave him a stern look. "_Only_ if you agree that afterwards you'll leave me alone and go study."

"Mary, you're no fun." He pretended to pout.

"I might be no fun, but at least you'll pass your exams. You can't be Britain's longest-running student forever, y'know."

He shrugged. "I doubt it. Even if I burned the midnight oil every day for the next 2 months, I shan't pass. I never feel good about compulsory exams. Something about those orals. The way the professors look at you - that makes me nervous."

"You need a spot of confidence, that's all. That's what Penny needed, and now she's getting on splendidly." I thought for a moment. "How about this arrangement? I helped Penny with her swotting - I'll just help you with yours. You'll pass those qualifying exams, mark my words."

"You really think so?"

"Mind you, it'll be a lot of hard work and you'll have to get stuck in, for sure. But...I'm optimistic. What d'you say? Shall we give it a go then?"

"Then I'll have to think of a way to repay you. For your pains. I expect there to be many of them, as I'm not a very good student. Just a word of warning."

"You don't _need_ to pay me back, Tris. You're my friend, remember?"

He took my hand in his, nestling it in his palm. "Still, I think taking you out once in a while wouldn't hurt, would it?"

"Once in a while, no. I suppose not." I fixed my gaze on his smiling face.

His bright eyes twinkled. "All right?"

"All right." I smiled back.


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer:_ "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac **

**Part 7**

All the while, Penny had noticed a change in me. Or, she presumed she had discovered what was up with me, after making the rounds of the important watering holes about town.

One morning, she approached me in the lecture hall a couple minutes before the session started. "Mary, I say... I can't put my finger on it. But summat's changed about you."

I looked up from one of my many textbooks, putting down my pen for my moment. I had been busy marking up important sections I was worried I might forget. "Changed? Like what?"

She was sat next to me, then thought for a moment. "There's summat wrong, isn't there? I would have hoped the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders since something's amazing 'appened."

"Like what? Come off it, Penny! No, nothing's happened."

"I meant, social like."

"Social like? I've nowt time for anything social, you know that." Picking up the pen again, I turned back to the book.

"Well, something's 'appened." Penny paused. "Wait a minute, all this time you've been seeing Trissy Farnon, haven't you?"

I pretended to ignore her, then shrugged, still intent on concentrating on reading.

"It's not a secret, y' know. I was at the Crown last night, and one of Tristan's mates was there. I think his name is...Hamish, maybe? Right complaining and drowning himself in bitter that Tristan couldn't be found, probably because he was chasing after a girl."

"Oh?"

"Yes, so I put things together in my mind and just assumed. Mary, I don't know why you're going about keeping it a secret from me. I mean, I'm the one who helped you get his attention. If it weren't for me, he wouldn't have even known you existed."

I looked at her, starting to getting annoyed. "Penny, it's not that I'm ungrateful, but I'm just not one for the gossip that goes around in pubs. I've been really busy..."

She started to laugh. "Yes, busy with a boyfriend!"

I sighed. "No. Penny, he's not my boyfriend. He's a nice chap, great fun, and he is quite a handsome lad. And I am happier, truly - but that's more to do with you putting confidence in me as a teacher. But when it comes to Tristan Farnon, I've been seeing him all right. I'm helping him swot for his qualifying exams for veterinary school. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm nothing beyond a tutor that happens to be a friend."

Penny frowned. "That's all? I _am_ rather disappointed. That lad last night must have been mistaken then."

I shrugged again. "Yes, I suppose. It's true that he hasn't been around somewhat I suppose, but that's because I've forced him to avoid the pubs at all costs in favor of swotting." I sighed softly. "I also knew taking him on as a student that he wasn't really interested in me. That there were going to be times where he'd be off with other girls or mates from school. But it's nothing to me. Nothing really."

"It's not nothing, sweetheart. I knew you had your heart set on him."

"I may have, yes. The truth of the matter is, there are always going to be chaps like Tristan Farnon that everyone fancies. But when it comes down to it, things don't work out for one reason or another, and there's always a reason behind it. In any event, I might as well use the gift God gave me - an unnatural and profound aptitude for things erudite - and help someone by using it. I mean, think of Richard Stuart."

Penny arched an unimpressed eyebrow. "Richard Stuart?" Richard Stuart was the eldest son of one of the most-respected landowners in our town. He had credibility by birth but wasn't as handsome as his younger brothers. He also suffered from an unfortunate lack of tactfulness and charm.

"Yes, it could have easily been Richard Stuart instead of Tristan, if I'd bumped into Richard and he was here for veterinary school." Had he been in town and needed my help to pass some school exams, I'm sure I would have tutored him. Even though I didn't think much of him.

"Still, it can't make you feel any better that Tristan just regards you as his tutor."

"It's not all that bad. Tristan tells good jokes, he's fun to be around. Besides, maybe I'll get a letter from Prime Minister Chamberlain later for 'my devotion to training the young minds of the future.' Ha! But y'know, there are more important things in life than boyfriends."

"Such as what?" My boy-crazy friend looked at me.

"I'm not feeling too good about what's going on in Germany. Penny, I think there's going to be a war."

"Well, if there is...what do you think that means for us?

I shook my head. "I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about what's going on. Y'know how I said before I thought being a nurse would be the most honourable thing to do if there were a war?"

"Of course. You've been saying it all along."

"I'm scared. And it's a fear that I've never felt before. Like I'm second-guessing myself..."

"Oh sweetie." She hugged me. "The Scots are never down for long! We'll get through it somehow. We're a strong nation."

I had a hopeful smile. "For now anyway, we better concentrate on getting through this semester, I suppose."


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer:_ "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac **

**Part 8**

Back in my mind, I kept thinking about what would happen if Britain was brought into a war with Germany. It seemed more likely the more news I'd hear coming from my uncle's wireless after supper.

I tried to push the thought of war out of my mind when it came to tutoring Tristan. He and I appeared to be making good progress. I kept telling myself that the process, though difficult, would ultimately be helpful for my own studies, so I kept at it. Besides, Tristan kept things light. A master storyteller, he was an expert at telling funny anecdotes sure to make me laugh. He was the first chap I'd ever met who'd go out of his way to get me to smile.

However, when it came to swotting and I put him on the spot, in a lightly-veiled attempt to recreate an examination situation it was always difficult to get answers out of him. He always stammered nervously every time I asked him a question.

I had tried my best to calm him down, saying that he had to get his nerves under control if he was to pass his orals in pathology and parasitology at the end of the term. At some moments when I was asking him serious questions, he had this crazed, wild look in his eyes - sheer terror.

Over many pints of bitter, he tried his best to laugh off his anxiety. But it was clear to anyone that his brother Siegfried's reaction if he were to fail would be more onerous than actually failing the exams. By this time, Tristan had described his piggy, overbearing older brother so well to me that he existed in my mind larger than life, in vivid colour, and near motion. Though I'd never met the man, I assumed getting on his nerves would not be advised.

After a particularly arduous swotting session on an early Saturday, my brain was ready for a break. I had just gotten through quizzing Tristan on the differing doses of certain medicines for different animals (horses, pigs, cows, sheep, dogs). And for once, it was me who insisted on the break, not my usually carefree student.

Tristan instructed me to stock up some picnic provisions, saying he'd pick me up outside the shop and whisk me somewhere I'd never been. Somehow during the intervening time, he was able to find his mate Duncan and borrow his motorcar.

"Nice car," I commented as he gallantly got out of the driver's seat, came round the passenger side, and opened the door for me.

I handed him a basket full of wrapped parcels and several bottles. "What did you buy?"

"Some pies, cheese, bread, and a very nice-looking elderberry jam," I replied, smiling. "And I thought you'd never forgive me if I didn't get you some beer."

"Mary, you are a girl after my own heart! We'll have a wonderful time, you'll see." With that, he switched the motorcar into gear, heading quickly down the country road.

We probably had been driving for a while but hadn't noticed the time. Tristan had a lovely singing voice and we made for a lovely duet. It was so nice to be out of the city and back into the countryside. I'm sure Tristan felt the same way. I breathed in the clean country air and reveled in the bright sunshine, my hair catching the wind of the speeding motorcar.

"Where are we going?" I asked, tugging at his arm.

He grinned mischievously. "You'll see!"

Finally, the car grinded to a halt. "Will you take a look at that!" I said aloud, almost in awe. I got out of the car and surveyed the scene. We were now atop a high bluff, high above and far away from Edinburgh, now looking like an insignificant speck of sand from our current vantage point.

East, west, north, south - this particular bluff was surrounded by pastures for animals to roam and grand fields for horses to run free. For once in a long time, I felt homesick for Summerfield, my family's ancestral farm.

"Doesn't that just take your breath away?" Tristan said quietly, basket on arm and blanket on his shoulder.

I looked into his dark eyes. "Yes. It reminds me of home, actually. I hadn't realized how much I missed it until this very moment."

"I thought so." Tristan put down the basket and spread out the blanket on the grass, encouraging me to sit. "Duncan showed me this place ages ago. After an especially horrid day of classes, we came up here with bottles of brew and he said, 'Tris, wouldn't this be the place you'd run to if you wanted to get away from everyone and everything?' And I didn't give it a second thought, I agreed with him. It's God's country, isn't it?"

"Oh aye, yes. God's country indeed. It feels like heaven on earth."

"Shame, though. One thing missing."

"Like what?"

"Food," he replied resolutely, "and drink." While I had been gazing around at the lands surrounding me, Tristan had made quick work of unearthing everything I'd bought out of the basket and from their parcels. The bottles of drink were lined up as well. "Come on. You peckish?" Now he was waving a pork pie in front of me.

I nodded, grabbing the pie out of his hand and ripping it in half. "Ravenous."

After our bellies were full, we laid back and talked at length of a variety of subjects. And for once, school was the least on our minds. We talked about our families. I told him about the shenanigans of my brothers, then my no-nonsense parents. I told him about all the animals we had on the farm and how my horse, Belle, had a special place in my heart. Tristan told me about the brood of dogs of every description that his brother kept at the house the two of them shared in Darrowby - it was called Skeldale House. Then he described his late father, who had a strange love - or obsession you might call it - with Richard Wagner. This explained why he and his brother had such strange names.

"It's not such a bad name," Tristan noted, lighting a Woodbine expertly and savoring it. "I can always get a nice girl to play my Isolde. That opera is the story of my life, really. I always end up disappointed with a girl's name on my lips because something's happened and she's left me and my life. And what ashes are left of it."

I sat up, looking once again into those beguiling dark brown eyes. "You're joking, Tris. I don't believe it for a second. You? The charmer?"

"Oh no, not for a moment. I may portray an air of confidence, but in reality, things don't really go my way."

"They might not go your way when work and Siegfried's involved, maybe..."

He snuffed out his cigarette, and then with his elbow, he propped himself to address me. "Oh noooo Mary, it's everything really. But then I think about how I can't be wrong all the time, can I? I just can't. For example..."

"Mmm, yes?"

"Take, for example, how after days of what seemed to endless swotting, had turned into a day like today. Delightful."

I had to agree. "'tis a delightful day indeed."

"And with such delightful company."

"Aww, Tris." I started to blush.

With no further words, he surprised me with an unexpected kiss.


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer:_ "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac **

**Part 9**

Soon enough, the term was coming to a close. I had to admit that I was disappointed because this meant my required time with Tristan would soon come to an end soon. Both of us would be heading back home. And my family's farm seemed to be a much too far distance from Tristan's beloved Darrowby. Well, beloved with the exception of his brother Siegfried.

I wasn't too worried about preparing for my own exams because I knew I had worked hard all semester. Also, I was slightly superstitious - all through my schooldays and even now, I carried around in my pocket a good luck charm that my mother had given me when I was young. It was a small metal thistle, the national flower of Scotland - mum said it belonged to my great-grandmother. As a Scottish lass, I was of course well-versed in how the humble thistle saved Scotland from invaders, but I thought of it as representative of myself - something that appeared to have a tough exterior but in reality had a much softer nature.

No, I was more nervous about how my student might fare. After talking at length with Tristan about what might happen to him if he were to fail the two exams in parasitology and pathology - namely, by Siegfried's hand - I was worried enough for him.

So I told him we needed to take a voluntary break from seeing each other if we were to concentrate on our respective examinations. After everything was over and we'd gotten our results, we'd agreed to meet for drinkees at our favourite pub, like weary soldiers returning from battle, happy that the worst was over.

Exam day came and went. That night, I looked at the clock on my bedroom wall - it was just about time for me to go down to the pub to meet Tristan. I looked at my smiling reflection in the mirror, brushing my hair, wearing a new dark blue frock my parents had asked my aunt to buy for me at the end of the term. As expected, I had passed with flying colours. I had hoped the confidence I had in myself had given Tris similar confidence. One could only hope.

I silently thanked my dear aunt and uncle for being so understanding that a young lass like me needed to go out at night to be with her friends. My parents would have never stood for such a thing back home. Then again, why had they asked Aunt Rachel to buy me a dress like this if they didn't want me going out and turning some boys' heads?

I headed downstairs and into the night.

I didn't see Tristan outside the pub, so I had a peek inside. He was already sat at one of his favourite seats near the fire. When I approached, he barely looked up, hand clutching a pint.

"Evenin', man of the moment," I murmured, sitting down next to him.

He finally looked up, and I saw his eyes were already dilated from drink.

"Oh Tris, you look like hell. What's the matter?" I took his arm but he shook me off, taking another long sip from his glass.

Tristan had bad news. I should have realised something was amiss already when he didn't say hello in his usual jocularity. In my high-achieving mind, it was the worst news imaginable. "Mary, I failed my exams. Both of them. _Both_ of them!"

"You what?!? Tris, you've got to be joking. That's impossible. After what we went through?"

"I told you I was a wreck when it came to exams." His frown grew. "It's something about those professors. The way they tap their pencils impatiently on the desk when they're waiting for you to answer. The pressure...it's just too much."

"Even so, we worked so hard. You knew that stuff backwards and forwards, Tristan. I know you did!"

"I know." He swallowed slowly, looking sheepish. "It's not a reflection of your hard work tutoring me, really..."

"What do you mean? _Of course_ it's a reflection. It just goes to show that I've failed. If you fail what we're working towards, we've failed. Therefore I've failed. Ohhhh Tristan. I'm sorry." I buried my head in my hands.

He put down his glass for my moment to massage my shoulders, trying to get me to relax. "Mary, don't blame yourself sweetheart. I won't have it. I won't."

"Of course I blame myself, Tris. Where did we go wrong? Or where did _I_ go wrong is probably more like it."

After he'd let go of this news, I couldn't figure out why he wasn't as bothered by the results as I was. I suppose I should have felt relieved that he didn't fault me for my teaching methods for what had ultimately transpired. Nevertheless, I felt awful. Despite what I assumed he thought of me, I deeply cared for Tristan and the tutoring had been a labour of love - literally - in my single-minded effort to help him with his veterinary studies. So with this setback, I felt like a right failure.

He sighed, draining his glass. "It's okay. I can sit for them again come Christmastime. I'm more worried about how Siegfried is going to take this."

"Yes, how are you going to break the news to him?"

"I'll just have to tell him...delicately." Tristan rubbed his hands together.

I eyed him suspiciously. "Delicately? And how do you expect to do that? You said he's mad as a hatter when he's incensed."

"True, but it's all about the delivery. Still...I've got a couple more days here in Edinburgh to come up with something."

"Ohhhh Tris." I felt sick to my stomach. He was really going to get it when he got back to Darrowby.

"Enough of that. You need a drink, don't you?" Tristan was up like a lightning bolt, coming back quickly to our table with a half for me and a full for himself.

I nodded. "Thanks."

"Of course." He settled back into his chair and wrapped his arm around me. That Tristan Farnon - he often complained of his brother having a mercurial mood but I think he was just as guilty. It was like him to go from abject desperation to his more amorous intentions, wasn't it? "You know, I have something dark to confess to you, Mary."

"And what might that be? Hmmm?"

"We-ell, to be perfectly honest, I've been a little wee distracted from my studies this term."

"Distracted?" It was my turn to eye him suspiciously again. "By what? Or by whom?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, as if he was trying to "delicately" tell me something. Like he'd be telling his brother in a couple days' time that he'd managed to fail both of his qualifying exams at the end of term.

My thoughts went back to the talk I had with Penny earlier in the term, about her mistake that I was Tristan's girl all along, when I really wasn't. There seemed to be only one explanation in my mind. "Let me take a wild guess, Tristan Farnon. You've been going with another girl, haven't you? I've heard it all. Penny told me the other day, when she was in the pub with Hamish and some of your other mates."

"...what?" he sputtered.

My anger was boiling over. "That would explain why after all we'd been through, swotting through this term like hell, and you not passing. I should have known! Of all the stupidest..."

"Wait. Mary! If you just listened to what I have to say..."

"All this time I thought you were being serious about your studies. _If_ you just wanted to play around, you should have had the decency to find someone else instead of wasting my time." I dropped my glass on the table so hard I was surprised it didn't break. "Y'know, I was starting to really care about you!" I stormed out of the pub.


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer:_ "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac **

**Part 10**

Tristan came to call at my aunt's house several times, but I refused to see him. _When he kissed me, high on that hill, why did he? A lark? Was he joking? Tristan probably knew what effect he'd have on me._ My heart and pride were hurt. I hated feeling this way. _My first brush with what I thought was love, and this had to happen._

He'd even enlisted Penny to try and sway my mind. "Mary, you're being unreasonable. You _must_ talk to Tristan before he leaves for Yorkshire. You'll regret it, y'know, if you don't at least see him."

"Penny, why would I want to see him? He's made a right fool out of me, hasn't he?"

Her eyes were wide. "I've seen the chap, and he's in a terrible state. He keeps moaning about how he'll never forgive himself if he's upset you."

"Upset me? He wouldn't take his exams seriously and he didn't think that alone would upset me?" I looked away from her, staring at my bedspread.

"He's explained it all to me, I've had to listen to him whilst in a drunken stupor," she said matter-of-factly as she sat down in my chair. "And quite frankly, I think the whole thing is quite romantic!" Suddenly, Penny had a wistful look on her face.

I was unmoved. "What can be romantic about a boy who doesn't have an ounce of ambition and won't work hard enough to pass his exams?"

"I know you're upset love, but he had his reasons. And they're honourable!"

I looked at her, confused. "How can you be sure? Besides, I'm convinced you and that Hamish fellow were right - he's been going with another girl all this time."

"Now I know that's not true. That boy I left in the pub isn't a child playing games with your emotions. Mary, would you just listen to him? For a moment?"

"I dunno, I'm pretty hurt still."

"You may be, but when he's miles away, you won't be able to do anything about it. And aren't you the least bit curious to see what he has to say?"

I sighed. Maybe I should give Tristan the chance to explain himself. "I suppose..."

I was insistent that we meet somewhere other than the pub. That way, we'd both be clear-headed and I could be sure Tristan wasn't drunk.

So we met outside my school. Since the term was over, it was deserted. I thought back to the times Tristan had shown up, never failing, to pick me up after the day's classes were over.

He was sat on a bench, looking hopeful. "I didn't think you'd come."

"I didn't think I'd want to come either, but Penny is a very old friend of mine. And she's very persuasive - she knows every which way to convince me to do something."

"Ah, grand ol' Penny!" His eyes brightened. "You're looking especially lovely today."

"Yes. Well...shall we get on with it?" I sat down next to him, noncommittal.

Tristan started fiddling with his shirt collar as if it were bothering him. "Yes, indeed we should. Just hear me out, all right?" He coughed nervously. "What I was trying to say to you, the other night before you stormed out of the pub..."

"Yes yes, get on with it."

"...I was trying to explain to you the reason for my distraction. From my studies."

"And?" I was starting to get impatient.

"First off, you jumped to conclusions - there never was any other girl."

"Tristan Farnon, I find that incredibly hard to believe. You chat up every girl that comes in vision..."

"Please," he wheedled, "you promised to listen."

"Oh, all right."

"There's only ever been you." Tris looked down at his hands. "Well, since we met at the town hall dance. I swear!"

There was something in his voice that made me want to believe him. "If I were to believe you, Tristan, and that's a really big if...you still have to explain what the hell is going on."

"And you have every right to ask. Well, the truth is, I've been busy."

I raised a questioning eyebrow. "Busy? Doing what?"

He picked at a piece of lint on his jacket. "Oh, picking up the odd job round town. Making a bit of brass here and there."

"But...why?"

"I was trying to collect a bit of money. You see, I just knew you'd pass your exams and I wouldn't. And I knew that the next time I returned to Edinburgh, you would already be fully qualified."

"I don't understand this at all."

"...and you'd be gone, sent away somewhere to attend to patients somewhere else. And I'd never see you again. You _told_ me you weren't planning to stay here after you qualified. Don't you remember?"

Startled, I responded, "I didn't think you were listening."

He scoffed. "Of course I was listening. As such, I wanted to make an impression - to take you out on a date you wouldn't forget. Sort of a thank you, really."

"A thank you? What on earth for? I don't deserve one, you didn't pass your exams!"

"Will you forget the exams for a moment? I've had a wonderful time with you this term, and with my departure from Scotland fast approaching, I had to do _something_." He sighed deeply. "It's all for nowt, isn't it? I might as well cancel the reservation I've made for tomorrow night at the Sapphire."

"The Sapphire?" The Sapphire was one of the poshest restaurants in all of Edinburgh, just off the Royal Mile. "You mean you saved up so you could take me to the Sapphire?" I was incredulous.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. But it's not like we're still going, is it?"

"Wait a minute...well, we might as well not let your hard work go to waste, right?"

"You mean..."

My lips curved into a smile. "Yes, I know, it's crazy Tris, but why not?"


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer:_ "All Creatures Great and Small" was a BBC TV show from 1978-1990 based on the books of James Herriot. No copyright infringement intended.

**Thistle and Lilac **

**Part 11**

That sneaky boy. He must have had some confidence that I'd forgive him and we'd still be going to the Sapphire for our dinner date Saturday night. Before we left each other, he reached into a pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a sealed envelope.

He handed it to me, murmuring, "ah ah ah, you mustn't open it until you get home."

"All right, spoilsport. Anything else?"

"I just want to surprise you. Don't sound so cross, I'll make it up to you in the end. I'll come to call around...7 tomorrow night. All right with you?"

"Right."

He gave me a quick peck on the cheek as we both got up to leave.

So the next night, with measured apprehension, I got ready for our date.

The note, in Tristan's messy hand, asked me to wear Penny's lilac dress for our date. It sounded like a strange request at first. But after I thought about it for a moment, I remembered he said he loved that dress and its colour.

Something felt different the day before, when Tristan and I met for our chat. I wasn't sure what it was, but I felt hopeful. If anything, it was the first time Tris had kissed my cheek and I hadn't immediately dismissed the action as just being friendly. _Tonight is going to be our first official date_, I thought to myself.

As I put on the lilac dress and looked at my reflection in the mirror, I couldn't help but smile. Penny was right.

But I wasn't sure how the evening was going to go. I was, however, chuffed that we were going to the Sapphire. It was a place I'd only heard about of course. Students like us couldn't afford such luxury.

"Mary!" my Aunt Rachel called from downstairs. "That young man that keeps coming round here has come to call. A Mister Farnon?" I was, again, grateful that my aunt didn't make a fuss about a boy coming that frequently to call. I could nearly hear my mum's muttering if a boy like Tristan were to come by our farm often and in that brief moment, I gulped, knowing that I'd be back on that farm in short order.

I tried to shake off the feeling and grabbed my purse from the bed. "Coming!" I took one more glance in the mirror and tried to put on my best smile. Still, my stomach was doing flip-flops.

As Tristan had promised, it was an unforgettable night. As the daughter of a farmer, it wasn't common for me to be wined and dined at one of the poshest places in town. Fish, duck, lamb, and lobster all made their way to our table. I was overwhelmed by the variety. More so, I was bowled over by the decadence of the Sapphire - the gilded beams, the magnificent windows framed with dark velvet curtains, the fancy china.

I was starting to get a wee woozy from the wine and champagne that flowed freely into our glasses. At the start of the night, I was concerned about how much debt Tristan was going to incur for this night out, but he waved me off.

"Remember, compared to this, next week I'll be in prison." He raised his champagne glass. "But let's not think too much about that tonight, shall we? Instead, how about we celebrate the end of term instead. And your achievements. To Mary McDonald, head of her nursing class!"

"Thank you, thank you," I said, clinking my glass against his, then taking a long sip. "But Tris, it won't be that bad. I'm sure your brother Siegfried is as docile as a pussycat."

"Docile as a pussycat? Maybe a pussycat with extra-sharp claws. He has to be seen to be believed." He thought for a moment. "Well Mary, how about you come to Darrowby one day and see Siegfried in the flesh yourself?"

I grinned. "All right. Yes, I think I will. One day."

"You will?" He sounded hopeful.

"But only when you've fully qualified," I replied smugly, sipping my champagne.

"What? Now you're the one being unfair." Tristan pretended to pout.

"No, not unfair. Just being practical. Also...it'll ensure that you'll be alive and well in Darrowby when I visit!"

Tristan rubbed his chin. "True, very true." We both laughed.

After leaving the Sapphire, we decided to take a stroll along the Royal Mile before Tristan had to walk me back to my auntie's. It wasn't too dark yet, the crisp night air was welcome after too much drink, but the street was nearly deserted.

Tristan took my hand in his. "So all the odd jobs...they were worth it? For tonight?" He gave me a questioning look.

I nodded, squeezing his hand. "Mmmhmm. I still can't believe you went to all the trouble and saved everything up for this. Thank you, this has been an incredible evening. Best night out I've had in ages. Probably my whole life, I think."

"I'm glad. It was nothing really." Then he brought out the patented smug Tristan Farnon smile. "In my mind, it was all worth it. For one final hurrah. You want to know why?"

"Tell me." I nodded.

"I see strength in your eyes, Mary McDonald. Strength I've never seen in another girl. It's like I said to you before, you're going to be successful whatever you do. Because you're strong."

"But Tris, I haven't felt strong lately. Just the other day I was talking to Penny about this - I've been thinking about things. The war, the future."

"Yes? What of it?"

"The uncertainty of it all - it's all so frustrating. Even though I've been responsible to now, where has it gotten me? If Britain is going to be taken over by a madman, it's all going to be over in due time. It's time to throw caution to the wind. You know, I've had the most fun this term spending time with you. It's like I could have gone through my entire life swotting and for what? Nowt much."

"Don't say that. You're going to be a big success one day, I know it. Me? I'll probably still be living under my brother's roof for the rest of my life, working at _his_ practice."

"No, I was thinking, let's do something crazy. What would you say if we stole away somewhere tonight, just ourselves, where no one could find us?"

He let out a startled laugh. "Mary dear, how would we do that?"

"Couldn't you convince Duncan to lend you his motorcar? I know it's short notice..."

"Not likely. Are you sure the champagne bubbles haven't gone to your head, my dear?"

"Just think, Tris. Don't tell me you haven't considered how nice it'd be to get away from your brother, even for a little while."

"We can't just run away. You know that. Besides, I have to be on a train to Darrowby tomorrow afternoon or Siegfried will have my head."

I sighed. "It's not fair..."

"Shhh..." He quickly guided me under an awning and kissed me tenderly. Shock and excitement within me were at odds. We probably would have stayed in that exact position for a long time if I hadn't broken away from him, my face wet.

I had started to cry. It had finally sunk in that this boy, the first boy I'd ever had real feelings for, was leaving tomorrow. And I couldn't do anything about it. "Oh Tris, don't leave. Tell Siegfried you need to stay a couple more days in Edinburgh. Better yet, the entire summer."

He stroked my cheek. "I'd love to stay but I can't, you know that."

I frowned. "I know. Oh, if it wasn't for this bloody war...and even so, I don't want to go back home, back to that blasted farm...and you're going home too. Just when I've finally felt like I've found my footing. Why can't things just stay as they are for once?"

"Me leaving Edinburgh doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. For your life anyway. Even if I leave - and that I will - you'll be fine without me. Because there is 'beauty in truth, and truth is in beauty, that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'"

"Yes, well, what does that have to do with anything? Besides being lovely."

"That's Keats, if my memory isn't failing me. What I mean is, life goes on but there is beauty in everything, and beauty is what I see in you."

"You're sweet Tris."

He chuckled, tightening his grip on my hand. "One tries." Tristan looked at his watch and frowned. "It's getting late. Shall I see you tomorrow? Before I leave?"

I shook my head and turned away from him. "No, I'm not good with tearful goodbyes." Fumbling around in my purse, I finally found what I was searching for and wrapped my fingers around it. "But I have something to give you." I extended my open hand - and my good luck charm - to him.

"What is it?"

"It's a charm, of the Scottish thistle. My mother gave it to me, it's been passed down through the generations. It's brought me good luck on multiple occasions. Like this term's exams."

He tried to wave me off. "I can't take this. It's yours. Your mother would be cross with me if she found out you'd given away a family heirloom."

"It's mine to give. And I want you to have it. There's nothing more to be said on the matter."

"All right, Mary McDonald." He smiled. "I'll remember this always."

"Like this term?"

"Right." By then we'd ended up at my aunt and uncle's. "Well then..."

I looked at the front door with disgust, then back at Tristan with melancholy. "Goodbye Tris...and good luck. Have a safe trip back to Darrowby."

He gave me a kiss on the forehead, then a hug. "Goodbye Mary. Stay sweet."

And then he was gone.

**THE END**


End file.
